8.20 Disable Windows 8.1 Help Sticker Notification Tips

Because Windows 8/8.1 has a completely different approach to a user interface than previous versions of the Windows operating system, Microsoft decided to provide help sticker notifications to assist users' to gain confidence in the new interface.

On installing Windows 8/8.1 you will find that, after installation, and you start using the operating system, Windows 8/8.1 will display useful help tips, such as the arrows to indicate what happens when you point your mouse to the upper/lower sides of your screen (see fig: 1 below)

Fig 8.21.1

Fig 8.20.1 Windows Start screen help tip

Once you have familiarized yourself with the new interface and the relevant help tips have been shown to guide you through the different screen scenarios the help tips should disable themselves. However, in some cases, the disabling of the help tips does not occur.

If the help tips do not disable themselves then you will need to disable them yourself. You can do this either from the Local Group Policy Editor (Windows 8/8.1 Pro and Enterprise) or via the Windows Registry.

To disable the help notification tips check out the following options:

1: Group Policy Editor

On your keyboard, press the Windows key and the R key simultaneously to open up the Run dialogue box.
In the Run dialogue box type: gpedit.msc and then click the OK button.

Fig: 8.20.2 Type gpedit.msc into the Run dialogue box
The Local Group Policy editor will now open

Fig: 8.20.3 The Group Policy Window
In the Group Policy Editor navigate to: User Configuration > Administration Templates > Windows Components.
In the Windows Components section, click on the Edge UI option.

Fig: 8.20.4 Double click on the Disable help tips option
Once you have clicked on the Edge UI option the Right hand pane of the Local Group Policy Editor will display a set of option for the Edge UI.

Fig: 8.20.5 Click on the Enabled option
Double click on the Disable help tips option.
This will now open the Disable Help Tips policy settings window.
Click on the radio button next to the Enabled option and then click OK.
Finally close the Local Group Policy Editor.
The Help tips should now be permanently disabled.

2: Windows Registry

On your keyboard, press the Windows key and the R key simultaneously to open up the Run dialogue box.
In the Run dialogue box type: regedit and then click the OK button.
The User Account Control warning will appear. Press the Yes button to continue.

Fig: 8.20.6 The UAC message
The Windows Registry Editor will now open.
In the Registry Editor navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\
Microsoft\Windows
When you have reached the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\
Microsoft\Windows folder, Right click on the Windows folder and, from the drop down menu, select New followed by Key.

Fig: 8.20.7 Select New followed by Key
In the Key dialogue box, type: EdgeUI and then press Enter.
Now Right click on the EdgeUI key you have just created and, from the drop down menu, click on New followed by DWORD (32 Bit) Value.
Name the New DWORD value as: DisableHelpSticker and then press OK.
Next Double Click on the DisableHelpSticker to again open the DWORD value box.
In the Value Data dialogue box type: 1 and then press OK.

Fig: 8.20.8 Change the value data to 1 to disable the option
Finally restart your PC.
If you need to re-enable this option in the Registry simply change the value (step 11) from one (1) to zero (0).